Teaching in Virtual Worlds: Opportunities and Challenges

How, where, when, and what we teach has been significantly influenced by technological innovation. Radio, television, and computers have all altered how information is presented and how students interact with that information. This paper describes how virtual worlds provide a mechanism to incorporate constructivist, experiential, and student-centered learning practices into the classroom. The authors also discuss the challenges and the benefits of using virtual worlds in education as well as some implications for the future of education. Keywords: virtual worlds, Second life, constructivist learning, authentic learning, metaverse, Sloodle